Recent Posts
Anne Boleyn Portrait Gallery
I have just finished adding an Anne Boleyn Portrait Gallery to the site! If you know of any other portraits I may have neglected to include please let me know. When viewing the gallery please keep in mind that the task of identifying 16th century portraits is often a difficult one. In recent times we have seen experts debate the identities of many Tudor portraits as new information comes to light. I have tried to include only those portraits that have substantial credibility within the … [Read More...]
Sports for Kings with Anne Boleyn at Hampton Court Palace
For all of you readers lucky enough to live close to Hampton Court Palace, 'Anne Boleyn' will be there enjoying the summer festivities on the weekend of 28-30 August. Henry VIII will be trying to prove that he is the best and most skilled knight at his court and will be trying hard to impress his new queen. There will also be Tudor sword fighting, archery, jousting, falconry, knight school, Tudor games and much more! How I wish I lived closer so that I could enjoy the festivities! … [Read More...]
Anne Boleyn’s Lavish Banquet at Westminster Hall
With a history spanning more than 900 years, Westminster Hall is the only part of the ancient Palace of Westminster to survive in almost original form. Built between 1097 and 1099 by William Rufus it has played host to a variety of ceremonies and events. From great feasts and banquets to Tudor disguisings and even an early form of shopping centre! Take a virtual tour of this extraordinary hall and explore the fantastic 3D reconstructed model of Westminster Hall in 1099 and 1400. But most … [Read More...]
Anne Boleyn and Windsor Castle
An ancient castle dating back to the time of William the Conqueror- Windsor Castle does not immediately spark images of Anne Boleyn like the Tower of London and Hever Castle do but it is in fact a place she visited on many occasions. Most notably, it is at Windsor Castle on the 1st September 1532 that Anne Boleyn received the title of marquis of Pembroke. It was a lavish ceremony witnessed by many members of the nobility. Whether or not Henry conferred the title on Anne as a way of … [Read More...]
On this day in 1540 Thomas Cromwell was executed
On this day in 1540 Thomas Cromwell met a gruesome end on Tower Hill. Some would say he got what he deserved after having been crucial in the demise of many others. This is what Cranmer had to say to Henry VIII after Cromwell's arrest: “Who cannot be sorrowful and amazed that he should be a traitor against your majesty? He that was so advanced by your majesty, he whose surety was only by your majesty, he who loved your majesty, as I ever thought, no less than God; he who studied always to set … [Read More...]
Possible Portrait of Mary Tudor?
I have just read a very interesting post about this portrait of an 'English Princess' dated back to 1535. Originally it was implied that the sitter was Mary Tudor but of course this presents some problems because in 1535 Mary was not yet returned to favour and so would such a portrait have been commissioned? The other obvious issue is that in 1535 Mary is assumed to have been 19 years of age and this sitter to me looks much younger. So we are left with the question, if not Mary then … [Read More...]
The list of Tudor and Anne Boleyn related places grows!
I am very happy to say that I have just added the 16th Tudor/Anne Boleyn place to my On the Tudor Trail list! It is none other than Henry VIII's pleasure palace- Hampton Court. Hampton Court Palace is undoubtedly one of my favourite places in the world! Although physically, little of Cardinal Wolsey’s and Henry VIII’s Hampton Court survives today, as it was either demolished, modified or modernised, you can still get a feel of what Henry’s beloved palace would have looked like when it … [Read More...]
Anne Boleyn- an indelible queen
Anne Boleyn fans often associate May with her bloody and unjust demise but we cannot for a moment forget that May was also the month in which her coronation ceremonies began and must have been a time of great triumph and joy for her. After the many years of uncertainty she endured, these four days would have been a monumental relief. A time where she could be secure in the knowledge that she was on the brink of becoming an anointed Queen and mother to the future heir to the throne- in her mind, … [Read More...]
Secrets of the Vatican revealed
I just came across this article describing how some of the documents kept in the Vatican's secret archives are soon to be opened to outsiders. Among one of the one million documents is a 2.5 kg letter with 81 wax seals sent by members of the British House of Lords to Pope Clement VII in 1530, demanding a divorce for King Henry VIII. David Starkey claims that "To understand England we need to have this document in mind." If you have a spare 50,000 Euro you can buy one of only 200 replicas of … [Read More...]
My Tudor photos
For all of you that may be interested, I have just uploaded close to 300 photos that I took on my 'Tudor pilgrimage' trip last year. I have not yet added descriptions to all of them but hopefully I will get to that soon. I have photos of the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Hatfield House, Hever Castle, Penshurst Place, Rochford Hall, Burghley House, Sudeley Castle, Thornbury Castle and Stratford Upon Avon! All you need to do is visit: On the Tudor … [Read More...]
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